Donna Darling Collection – Part 82

Two photos of the Bathing Beauties

Treasure Chest Thursday
Hollywood Bathing Beauties
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at two photographs from the Donna Darling Collection.

Stage – Donna Darling Revue – 6 women on stage – with “India My Own” sign

This first photo has six women on stage. One of the girls is holding a sign that says, “INDIA My Own.” The back of the photo says “Donna Darling Revue.”

In the 1920s, Donna had a show, California Bathing Girls. During that show she sang the song, “India, My Own,” which she wrote. So, this photo is clearly from that time. Donna always needed to be the center of attention and this photo really exemplifies that with two girls on their knees with incense bowls. Additionally, this appears to be Donna in the same hat and dress she wore during her Christmas wishes. (See: Donna Darling Collection – Part 32.) This photo is clearly from that time.

Donna Darling – “California Bathing Girls” – 8 women on stage

This second photo shows all eight of the bathing girls, including Donna, who were part of the “Beach Promenade.” Besides Donna, there were seven other women in the show; Lola St. Clair, Marie Thompson, Alice Eldridge, Bobby Tremaine, Helen Travis, Dorothy Smith, and Alie Dean[i]. Sadly, I have not been able to identify which woman is which in the photo. If you have other photos of any of these women, I’d love to see them.

Conclusion

Two photos of The California Bathing Girls from Donna Darling’s 1920 Vaudeville show.

Future Actions

Try to better identify the seven supporting California Bathing Beauties.

Endnotes

[i] See:  Donna Montran – Moss’s Broadway Theater, July-August 1920